Embers and Smoke
by phoenixXVI
Summary: Sequel to 'Of Shadows and Flames'. Reno and Yazoo have survived Shinra and made a life for themselves, Cloud has grown weary of his role as the planets warrior but they have yet to lay Shinra and its horror to rest and someone must take up the fight.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I know its been a really long time *cough* years, since I posted anything here. My only defense is that I have been insanely busy, I mean really busy. Also, I have been working on my own original work and I am looking for a beta reader for said original work, so if you are interested please let me know.

Lately just for the heck of it I was reading the reviews for Of Shadows and Flames, there were so many people asking for the sequel that I kind of felt guilty for not posting it. Yes there is a sequel to of Shadows and Flames that has been sitting on my hard drive doing nothing for about a year. Here it is.

For those of you who havent read Of Shadows and Flames, this will make no sense without it so I recommend that you look it up.

Oh yeah, one more warning..... RENOXYAZOO!

"How many of these fuckers are there?" called Yazoo over the sound of the gunfire and explosions around them from the Deepground forces.

Reno took out a sniper on a balcony and then glanced over at his lover who was taking cover just ahead of him. "I have no idea, Reeve isn't exactly sure."

Yazoo rolled his eyes and reloaded, maybe he was getting old but this just all seemed so disorganized. Jumping out from behind his cover Yazoo shot down two of the guards in the hallway in mid jump and kicked the next one senseless when he landed. Before the unfortunate man could recover his wits and stand Reno hit him with more volts than was probably necessary.

Turning away from the bodies Reno glared at Yazoo. "I thought we promised no fancy stuff! Loz and Kadaj will murder us if we get killed."

Yazoo ignored the probability of that statement and began striding down the hallway, tossing his words over his shoulder. "Then why did we come? If not to have a little fun?"

Reno took in the leather clad form and now hip length silver hair, ending with the mischievous glinting green eyes looking at him over a slender shoulder, hell if his lover wasn't sex on legs. When they had found out about the assault that would take place at the old Shinra building Yazoo and Reno had jumped at the chance to see some action again. Although Loz had been very thorough in laying down the ground rules.

Yazoo could still hear his brothers voice in his head, "I understand if you want to go, but just remember you have Kadaj to come home to and make sure you have enough bullets and protection. Are you sure you don't need the Dual Hound? And remember, no dodging bullets, take cover, no deflecting them with Velvet Nightmare, no taking on more than five enemies at once, no unnecessary fancy flourishes, no…"

The list went on and Yazoo couldn't help but thinking that his brother had become such a mother hen since Kadaj had been born…er reborn? It had become painfully obvious that it was indeed their younger brother who was in that tiny infant body. The main question everyone wanted to know was whether he could or would remember his previous life at all. Since he couldn't talk yet it made figuring it out hard.

Yazoo returned his attention to the problem at hand. Vincent Valentine was infiltrating the Shinra building, he was already there and everyone else was trying to fight their way in too while eliminating the ground forces. He started back down the hallway he had just cleared when the ground rocked beneath him and Reno.

Grasping each other to keep their balance they waited out the building shifting and crumbling, hoping it wasn't about to collapse. When the worst of the tremors ended Reno heard his PHS ringing.

"Reno."

Clouds voice came, static stricken over the line. "Reno, get out of there. Vincent made it and I think you should see this."

Reno hung up and shrugged. "Valentine got to the heart of it. Cloud says there's something we should see outside."

Yazoo sighed. "I was just getting warmed up."

Reno was already heading back to the way out, Yazoo just behind him watching their backs. But the building was silent and empty. When they reached the front of the building onto what used to be a street Reno looked up and caught his breath. The green ball of the lifestream that everyone had been calling "Omega" was rising up toward the sky.

Yazoo cursed. "We are too late."

Reno shook his head. "No, look."

He pointed to the blazing red pinprick meteor headed straight for Omega and then a blaze of white light blinded them all.

When their vision returned Yazoo blinked trying to get the dots in his vision to go away, then it registered. The dots were the glowing fragments of the lifestream falling back to the Planet. There was a sense of awe, hung over the utter silence of the ruins. Something in his heart hurt at the sight. Reno was standing shoulder to shoulder with him and he realized what it was. Someday, he would lose Reno to the beautiful light, or Loz, or they would lose him. This time Kadaj would lose them.

Reno must have been thinking the same thing because he shook himself and then turned to Yazoo, a wry smile on his face. "Not today. Come on, lets check in with Strife and head home."

Yazoo nodded, looking at the vague scar in the sky. Amidst the stars he thought he saw it, but he had to be wrong, he searched the sky for a moment then chalked it up to the light playing tricks. But he could have sworn he saw that lone, black wing…


	2. Chapter 2

This chapter jumps forward quite a bit as far as time. It basicly has some small windows into watching Kadaj grow up but nothing major. If theres a demand for it I might post some of the short stories about Kadaj as a child but its not really incredibly relevant to the story line.

Just in case no one had noticed, this does take place after Dirge of Cerberus, just in case the prologue didnt make that obvious or if someone hasnt gotten their claws on the game yet.

* * *

Yazoo crept up the stairs silently, he didn't want Loz, Elena or Kadaj to hear him coming. He and Reno had gotten back to thier peaceful home in cosmo canyon a few minutes ago, taking care to turn off the engine and walk the motorcycle so as not to wake anyone. Reno was still downstairs bringing in their bags.

Yazoo unlocked the front door to Loz and Elena's home and pushed open the door, pausing a moment to let his eyes adjust he made his way to Kadaj's room, sending a weak mental greeting to Loz. If his brother was awake he would hear it, if he was asleep it would reassure him back into sleep if any noise he made woke him. Their mental connection had strengthened significantly when Kadaj had been born, although when they tried to connect with the youngest everything they got was too vague to be understood.

Kadaj was in his crib, the window shades were open, letting in the moonlight. Fine silver down covered his head and the green eyes were closed. Yazoo stood by the side of his crib and watched him, a tender expression on his face. His feelings for his brother had changed so much since he had been reborn, it was impossible to look at him as a lover now, and while Yazoo cherished the memories he had, in a way that Kadaj was still dead, even if he now grew up and remembered everything it would not be the same.

A board creaked behind him and Yazoo looked up to see Elena standing in the doorway, smiling. "You made it back." Her voice was a whisper and Yazoo just nodded back. He stepped away from the crib and went join her as she moved back into the hallway. He closed the door behind him softly so their words wouldn't wake him.

"We just got back, didn't want to wake you." Yazoo said glancing at the other door in the hallway that lead to Loz and Elena's bedroom. He glanced Loz sprawled across the bed, asleep.

"Its okay, I wasn't sleeping well anyway. How is everyone, Strife, Valentine? I take it you were successful" Elena pressed.

"Valentine was successful. Everyone is fine, although no one knows where he is at the moment, although I think they have an idea. Has Tseng called?" Yazoo had wondered whether the ex-Turk would be among the forces but hadn't seen him.

Elena shook her head. "Nothing, just Rude saying he would be stopping by at the end of the week and-"

She was cut off by the sounds of Kadaj crying. Yazoo opened the door and swept into the room, picking the infant up and cradling him. The baby calmed instantly, looking up at Yazoo and raising a tiny hand to tug on the long strands of silver falling around him. Elena stood in the doorway, a forlorn expression on her face as Yazoo gently put his brother back into the crib.

Catching the look Yazoo sighed. "Im sorry Elena, it should be you, I-"

"Its allright. I understand, sort of, I mean you're pieces of each other, its just, well odd sometimes. But there are other things that he wont let you or Loz do so I guess its even."

Yazoo rolled his eyes at that, it was a habit he had picked up from Reno. Kadaj would only let Elena feed him decently. Other than that he was very creative at spitting milk. They were dreading when he got older if he retained the habit.

"In a few years we'll have to wear rain gear to feed him." Yazoo remarked, heading back out of the room. Elena laughed.

"I'll have to remember that" she said as she headed back to her bedroom.

_8 years later......._

"Reno! Would you please stop encouraging him to throw bladed objects!" Elena reprimanded half heartedly as a knife sailed through the air and embedded itself in the wall.

"Sorry Elena! We're still working on the aim!" The redheads voice came from his hiding position behind the couch. Kadaj could throw a knife and have it hit a target blade first, it was just unpredictable as to what target he would hit.

At the tender age of eight Kadaj was a fast learner and he loved nothing more than to pay undivided attention to his "Uncle Reno". The ex-Turk came around to crouch next to the child who was watching him through silver strands.

"Okay, not bad. This time just try and hit the target okay. Concentrate and picture the knife flying straight through okay?" Reno placed another knife in Kadaj's hand and then hopped back over the couch, peeking over enough to see.

Kadaj took a deep breath, held the knife by the back of the blade and stared at the wooden target. He aimed and threw, just as the front door right next to it opened. The shot went wide and Yazoo ducked behind the door just in time to avoid being knifed in the gut. Calmly, Yazoo pulled the knife out of the door and walked over to his "nephew". Kneeling next to him Yazoo demonstrated.

"Like this, relax your back and hand. Pull the knife just back behind your ear, yes just like that. Now throw." Kadaj followed through and the knife thudded into the target just to left of the bulls eye.

"Yes! Thanks Yazoo!" Kadaj exclaimed happily.

Reno gave Yazoo a mockery of an annoyed look. He had been trying to get the kid to do that for almost an hour.

Yazoo just smiled sweetly at him and went to find Loz.

Kadaj was growing up so fast.

Walking to the back workshop where Loz spent most of his time Yazoo paused in the doorway, Loz was turning a part from one of their motorcycles over in his hands.

"Will it tell you what's wrong with it if you look at it long enough?" Yazoo asked lightly.

Loz snorted. "I wish."

He put down the oil covered piece of metal and wiped his hands on an already greasy rag.

"Strife called."

Yazoo's ears perked at that. It had been awhile since they had heard from Cloud, he normally just stopped by when he had deliveries in the area. Loz glanced at him to see if he was listening then continued.

"He was saying something about the monsters acting up all over the place. Was wondering if we would start hunting again, kind of take over the Cosmo area as our responsibility and what not. I told him that would be fine, since Kadaj is older now and Elena can handle him okay."

Yazoo nodded. When Kadaj had been younger it had been impossible for both he and Loz to be gone for any length of time. It wasn't that the child didn't have affection for his mother Elena, but if Loz or Yazoo were out of his sight for any long length of time he became anxious. A habit he had thankfully grown out of.

Hunting again would be fun. He and Loz tried to keep in shape as best they could sparing against each other or Cloud, Rude or even Vincent and Shelke on the rare occasions they showed up, but those were far and few between.

It was odd though that the monsters would become restless randomly. "Did Cloud have any idea why?"

Loz shook his head. "He said something about WRO finally putting together all of the old Shinra research they could find and that some of it may answer some questions but until they cant be sure."

Yazoo rolled his eyes. Considering it had taken the WRO almost eight years just to get all the info together he wouldn't be surprised if he were dead by time they had all their answers.

There was the sound of a dish breaking and Elena yelling at Reno. Yazoo sighed and went to go do damage control.

The days had gone by too fast for Yazoo. Their little family had been happy here away from the ongoing battle with what was left of Shinra. He and Loz and even the old Turks had found a measure of peace in their desert. Yazoo watched Reno trying to placate Elena. The redhead had become his salvation from his own personal darkness, it had taken years to really get over everything he had experienced at the hands of Shinra Co. and Rufus but he had done it. Reno had never given up on him even when Yazoo had been so tempted to just let his silence swallow him. It had been hard but Reno had stubbornly demanded that Yazoo heal, he was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

_Seven years later...._

"But you said I could go with you this time! I can do this I know I can!" Kadaj pleaded with Loz trying to convince him to come along on the monster hunt he and Yazoo were preparing for.

Yazoo watched the exchange between the two. At the age of fifteen Kadaj had not openly recalled his former life, a fact of which they were all grateful. This way Kadaj had a clean slate, a new start to live life as a normal person. But there were still times when Yazoo saw something spark in his eyes that made him wonder just what went on in his "nephews" head.

"I'm not so sure Kadaj, maybe next time. We'll work on your sword work some more and go from there." Loz strapped the last bag of supplies to his motorcycle. Yazoo had finished already and stood watching and waiting. It seemed like it had only been such a short while ago that Kadaj had just been small enough to carry, now here he was at fifteen and a spitting image of himself from before, he even kept his hair the same length. It could be disconcerting at times.

"You said the same thing last time. Come on, Yazoo tell him, you saw! I'm doing way better, I swear I wont be in the way." Yazoo considered for a moment, then discretely drawing a knife from his inner coat he tilted his head towards Loz, a small smile on his face then leapt at Kadaj. The knife was aimed at his nephews heart but Yazoo would draw back before he ever nicked skin.

He never got the chance. Kadaj ducked under his attack then drew his own blade ( a gift from Reno for his eleventh birthday) Yazoo returned with another attack swiftly but Kadaj was again ready for him. They were stalemated with Yazoo's knife at Kadaj's throat and Kadaj's aimed through his ribs and upwards to his heart.

Smiling again Yazoo pulled away, he turned his gaze to Loz and shrugged. If Kadaj could handle a half hearted attempt from him than he could handle some monsters. But Yazoo would not challenge Loz's decision openly, just let the actions be, if Loz still said no to Kadaj he would not protest. Loz sighed. There was a moment of silence as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Finally he looked up.

"Your mother wont be happy about this."

Kadaj broke into a smile and ran up the stairs to grab his own clothes and weapons. Yazoo watched him go, a small smile on his face.

"He's been ready for awhile hasn't he?" Loz asked from just behind him.

Yazoo shrugged. If there was one thing that was still the same about his nephew it was his unstable temperament. Who could really know what he would still have a feel for and what he wouldn't? He was saved from a more in depth answer when he heard footfalls coming down the stairs. Reno jumped onto the landing, his red tail flying behind him. The years had been kind to both of them, Reno had kept his hair in the same length and style as back in his Turk days, there were small lines in the side of his eyes that bled into his red tattoos from his cocky grin but he was still just as agile and full of energy as fifteen years ago.

"You heading out already?" Reno tried to sound upset and failed. Yazoo knew full well that Rude would come tonight and the two, now maybe three ex-turks would be up boozing till the wee hours of the morning. His partner would not miss him.

"Just waiting for Kadaj." Yazoo walked over to Reno and leaned in close, brushing his cheek against his shoulder, taking in his scent and presence. Reno smiled and ran a hand over his silver hair fondly.

"You're taking the runt? Man, me and Rude were going to teach him the fine art of the Molotov Cocktail."

Yazoo sighed. Reno was incorrigible. "So sorry he has to miss that one. Don't worry I'm sure you will have many more opportunities."

Foot falls on the stairs sounded again and Yazoo looked up to see a solemn looking Kadaj, his backpack slung over his shoulder, with a stone faced Elena behind him.

Elena said nothing just stood there, an eyebrow raised at Loz. Kadaj came to stand near Yazoo.

Loz sighed. "He's ready."

It was the only response she would get and Elena knew it. She also knew that when it came to things like this in regards to Kadaj she was even more at a loss than the brothers. They at least had their psychic link to understand each other and although no one had said it she knew that Kadaj had grown into that bond as well. She just worried that things like this would reawaken the old memories that might lay dormant in her reborn "son".

With a sigh and worried expression she nodded. "Just as long as you are back in a few days, no week long stints this time."

Loz nodded and Kadaj began shifting from foot to foot anxiously. Reno broke the tense moment by slinging an arm around Elena's shoulders. "Cheer up El, look at it this way, you have a completely free few days with me and Rude. Its like a Turks night out."

Somehow Elena didn't look very consoled. "Great, now I get to drag both of you back from the bar instead of you just stumbling home on your own" she muttered as Reno led her away.

Kadaj was already walking Yazoo's motorcycle out of the makeshift garage. Yazoo took it from him and mounted. Just as Kadaj settled behind him and Loz started his own engine Yazoo saw Reno come bounding down the stairs.

"Didn't think you were getting away that easy did ya?" Reno pulled Yazoo into a fierce kiss. Yazoo heard Kadaj give an exasperated sigh behind him. It just egged them on.

When they pulled apart Reno dangled a hair tie in front of Yazoo's nose. "Use this or you might just blind the runt."

"Don't call me that!" Kadaj protested.

Pulling back his hair, Yazoo and Reno ignored him. Yazoo revved the engine and took off, Reno's smug smile imprinted on his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

Here's the next one.

* * *

They had to ride relatively far to get to areas they hadn't cleared yet. Something that neither of them minded in the least. As soon as they were out of eyesight it became a race, not exactly the safest thing in Cosmo considering the quick cut offs, turns and uneven landscape. For once Yazoo might have to work at beating Loz, normally his bike was so much lighter with just him on it than Loz's that he could out maneuver him easily. Now it was close to even. Yazoo felt Kadaj's arms tighten around him as he pulled off a particularly large jump over an outcrop of rock.

_Still with me little brother?_

Yazoo didn't normally use the link between them so directly with Kadaj. When he had first tried it had almost frightened his nephew, admittedly he had been young and Yazoo had been angry at the time. It wasn't exactly the best introduction to the more precise parts of their abilities. Kadaj had secluded himself for days afterwards, then when he had emerged he had thought directly to Yazoo and Loz for days, no words. Just the link between them, as if he were testing it to its fullest extent. It had given Yazoo a headache.

_**Yes, Im not afraid. Don't worry about me.**_

Yazoo smiled to himself. Typical Kadaj. Something drew his attention along the path, something large and moving sluggishly. With a mental signal to Loz they turned towards it and sped closer. When he could make out the shape Yazoo was puzzled. A dragon, this far from the Northern Crater? A black dragon, moving as if it were tired or worn out. Either way when it heard their bikes coming closer it turned towards them and blew a burst of its poison breath in their direction.

The two brothers approached the dragon head on only to swerve to either side at the last moment, blowing past its sides close enough for Loz to get a hit to its side flank with his rebuilt Dual Hound. Kadaj had drawn his sword and made a half hearted attempted at a swing.

_**Its too awkward on the bike, I might hit you.**_

Yazoo nodded in acknowledgment as he pulled the bike into a turn to head back to their prey. But what did Kadaj want him to do? If he couldn't fight from the bike then…

_**Drop me off when you go around.**_

_What? Absolutely NOT!_

But it was too late. Yazoo was already in front of the dragon while Loz came in from the side, Kadaj jumped off the bike to roll and stand in front of the beast.

_Damn it Kadaj stop screwing around!_

Kadaj ignored him. He walked toward the dragon, swinging his sword in a show off circular motion that Yazoo hadn't seen him do in this lifetime, but had been very familiar in his last. It sent a bit of a cold chill through him but in a way it eased his worry for Kadaj. No way he would have ever lost to a dragon in the past.

He could feel Loz's worry and disbelief and slight anger at Yazoo for letting Kadaj do this but Yazoo just shrugged it off. What did Loz expect him to do anyway? He pulled his bike into a skidding stop. Drawing the two Velvet Nightmares Yazoo fired at the beast twice and hit it once in the chest and once between the eyes. The dragon stiffened and fell, Kadaj had to dodge to the side to avoid being crushed.

Loz pulled up beside Yazoo, disappointment and irritation radiating off him. Kadaj turned back to them with an equally annoyed expression.

"You took it down fast on purpose. You would have played with it before." Kadaj spat.

Yazoo nodded, his face blank and unyielding. Kadaj had disobeyed both him and Loz, and despite what he had been before he was the child this time around.

Loz dismounted from his bike. " You know you shouldn't have done something like that without discussing it with us first Kadaj. You could have been hurt, or one of us could have been. This can be an easy and fun thing to do if your careful but things can go wrong very quickly if you're not."

Kadaj glared at his father. "You act like I don't know. I know more than you think and I knew what I was doing here. I can't get a clear swing on the back of the bike, I need to be on foot or on the bike myself without a passenger." The statement started out angry then evened out as he explained himself, as if he knew that fighting wouldn't help. He was right. Yazoo was tempted that if Kadaj pushed him any farther he would take him straight back home and dump him on the doorstep.

Loz thought it over, watching Kadaj. "Alright. Take my bike."

Yazoo looked up at Loz in surprise, then saw the challenge in his eyes. There was a tension in the air, it would be a defining moment here. Kadaj had been wanting to prove himself for years now, in a way both Yazoo and Loz had been afraid to let him. Would it prove that he was indeed the brother they had known? Or would he not measure up, and if so would they be disappointed?

It seemed that Loz meant to find out. Yazoo wasn't sure whether he approved or not but it was going to happen someday. He just shifted so Loz could ride with him. Kadaj looked into both their eyes, then sheathed his sword and nodded. He strode to Loz's bike without a word and sped off.

Loz sighed. "Here goes nothing, as Reno would say right?"

Yazoo responded with his characteristic "Hmph" and shifted as Loz's weight on the back of the bike changed the stance. When his brother was secure he took off after Kadaj.

* * *

Reno and Rude were lounging in the living room while Elena drank them both under the table and then some. Rude had brought with him a rather large and expensive bottle of vodka that was being emptied at an almost alarming rate.

"You know, they're all going to get themselves killed someday. But the worst is when theyre talking to each other in their heads while Loz and I are..well you know"

"Elena!"

"Elena!"

Reno and Rude knew where she was going with that and really didn't need to know.

The blonde glared at them defiantly. "What? Don't tell me you don't know when Yazoo does it Reno, hell sometimes I think that when all of us are going at it they even try to make it so that they both finish together."

Rude was snickering into his tumbler. Reno was half way between laughing and twitching. Did they really? He was trying to go through his memories, Yazoo beneath him, Yazoo on top, Yazoo on his knees, Yazoo….

"I wonder if Kadaj feels it too." Elena muttered.

That took all the lovely thoughts of his lover in all his various glories straight out of his head.

Reno looked up at Rude who had gone absolutely still and then downed the rest of his glass and then reached for the bottle for more.

"Elena, there is not enough alcohol in my system to even go anywhere near there. And you my dear are cut off." Reno cradled to bottle, he knew that if he didn't put that womans last statement into a black box in his mind and seal it tight he would be having gears in his brain grinding. The thought of Kadaj being able to feel it when he…

No.

"Cut off? Who the hell are you to cut someone off Reno?" Elena complained half heartedly, she still had what was in her glass anyway.

Reno snorted and swirled the liquid around in his glass and tried to look dignified. "As an expert in being drunk I am exceptionally capable of telling when someone has had to much. Not to mention that I think you just broke Rude."

Rude had not moved since Elena's vastly unnecessary comment, but now turned his head towards Reno, his ever present sunglasses hiding his eyes.

"Broke, no. Instigated curiosity…yes."

Reno let his head hit the table. "You're all sick."

* * *

_This _Kadaj thought _was just ridiculous._

The small frog like creatures darted around them, scoring small ineffectual hits, more annoying than actually painful. The spells they cast were more problematic but still didn't have much affect. Yazoo and Loz were having the hardest time, the bike was heavier and harder to maneuver with the extra weight. Kadaj turned his bike just so and was gratified to hear the sound of a small annoying body crushed beneath the tires.

Yazoo had given up on using his gun, he was a good shot but the creatures were small and fast and with all the close quarters he was just as likely to hit one of his brothers. Finally in frustration, Loz jumped of the bike and began chasing the creatures one by one. Kadaj stopped hacking at the creatures and turned to Yazoo.

_Circle around Loz, keep them contained._

Yazoo nodded and he and Kadaj chased each other around and around keeping all of the creatures from escaping their new cage. Loz was as fast if not more so than them as he punched and kicked the little bastards to oblivion.

When they were all dead and the dust from the circling motorcycles cleared Loz was filthy with frog blood and parts and dust.

Yazoo broke the silence. "You arent getting back on this bike with me like that."

Loz smirked. "Sissy"

"I agree Yazoo, lets find some water Father or you're going to start to stink." Kadaj said and began walking Loz's bike. Loz looked around the landscape. He wasn't familiar with this area but they were still in the Cosmo desert. Where did Kadaj expect to find water?

He looked to Yazoo who shrugged and just started after him. Loz sighed and followed, trying to shake some of the goo off. Kadaj rounded a few corners through the rock formations and sands and then put the bike on its stand. Kadaj walked to a large nearby rock and climbed its side. The orange windswept rocks formed a maze like area so Yazoo and Loz were at a loss as to what Kadaj thought he was doing.

Looking down at them Kadaj smiled. "Come on, there's a cave here."

Loz raised an eyebrow but Yazoo just copied Kadaj and followed. Loz jumped onto the rock effortlessly and looked down into the hole in the rock Kadaj was staring into. Without another word Kadaj began climbing down. Loz opened his mouth to warn Kadaj to be careful but closed it at Yazoo's hand on his arm.

Yazoo wasn't sure what was going on but something wasn't right. How could Kadaj know there was a cave here? He had seen the young mans eyes while he had been walking, he had the same unfocused look he used to have when listening to Jenova.

Yazoo let go of Loz and climbed down as well, it was a short trip, maybe six feet before he could see the ground beneath him through the dimming light. Jumping down he landed next to Kadaj. Yazoo followed Kadaj's gaze, the cave sloped downward drastically but Yazoo could smell it though. Water, and something with a more tangy, earthy smell.

A noise above him alerted him to Loz coming down as well, moving to the side just as his brother fell Yazoo knew from the awkward angle he landed at that Loz had been planning on tackling him and he had foiled the plan. Loz glared at him good naturedly as he stood and brushed himself off.

Kadaj began heading off farther into the cave. Yazoo ignored Loz and followed. The light from the sun faded quickly and Yazoo had to pause to allow his eyes to adjust to the dark. Kadaj was kneeling by a pool of water, at least that's what Yazoo thought it was. The water sparkled with flecks of green and seemed to be constantly moving.

When Yazoo made it to Kadaj he got a good look at the water and quickly backed away. It was the same water that had rained the day Sephiroth had returned. The day Kadaj had died. "Kadaj! Be careful that water-"

"Its all right Yazoo. Before the Planet was trying to get rid of us because we were trying to help Her. Now that she's gone, its not concerned with us." Kadaj's voice was mellow, neutral. But it hit something inside Yazoo, so Kadaj did remember.

Loz had stopped in his tracks at his "sons" words. "You know, you remember?"

Kadaj nodded but didn't raise his head to meet their eyes, he just stared over the water with that same blank look, but instead of dawning horror behind that almost sightless gaze there was something else…

Yazoo couldn't out his finger on it but it didn't put him on edge like Jenova had. But it was new and unknown and he didn't feel at ease with it either. He had wanted to so much for Kadaj to be free of the past, to not be haunted by things the way he and the others were. That didn't seem likely now.

"Go ahead and wash off Loz. The water wont hurt you."

Loz looked skeptical and walked toward the water stiffly. He crouched and reached out with his hand, his fingers grazed the surface. Nothing, just ripples from his passing. Loz submerged his whole hand and gave a sigh if relief. It didn't hurt like it had when it had fallen in rain and taken Kadaj away.

Yazoo stood back and watched as Loz waded into the water, clothes and all. He knew that the water hadn't reacted just to their Jenova cells, otherwise Cloud would have been affected as well. He had assumed it had something to do with Sephiroth but that was now obviously not the case. So the planet now approved of them? Or just didn't care any more. Yazoo wasn't sure which he would be more comfortable with. Something had called Kadaj here, to this place where the Planets gift of mercy still lay. It left him with a very, very bad feeling.


	4. Chapter 4

Warning- hungover Turks and questionably morality (as if i needed to state that!)

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Reno was lying on the floor using Rude's foot as a pillow when the door swung open and an irritated looking Yazoo walked through. The light it let in seared through his brain and kickstarted his hangover. Reno groaned and rolled onto his back, wincing as his head fell off Rudes foot and hit the floor. Yazoo spared him a glance then went to kitchen out of Reno's sight.

The redhead sighed and sat up slowly, very slowly in consideration of his stomach that seemed to be planning a revolt. When he was sitting more or less he glanced over at Rude. The big man was sprawled in the chair, the sunglasses made it impossible to tell whether he was awake or not. Reno winced and climbed to his feet, sort of, he leaned heavily on Rudes chair. His head felt like someone was beating a bass drum on the inside. It was kind of creepy, not knowing if Rude was just sitting there watching or not or if he was really asleep. Reno got real close, just to see. He waved a hand in front of his old partners face. Nothing. But Rude had been known to fake people out.

Reno leaned his face very close to his partners just to see if he could peek under the lenses and see if his eyes were closed or not. His hangover chose that moment to get the best of him and Reno lost his balance, putting his hands out to catch his balance one accidentally ended up in a very sensitive piece of flesh. Rude sat forward abruptly and before Reno could blink he had a gun in his face.

"Yo! Partner its me! Im sorry man I slipped I didn't mean it!"

Rude's breath was coming fast and he was hunched over in pain. After a second of looking at Reno he lowered the gun. Reno was biting his lip not knowing what to say or do. The door to the kitchen opened and Yazoo walked in with two glasses of the red concoction he made. It did wonders for hangovers yet to this day Reno had never seen what he put in it and Yazoo refused to tell him. Yazoo stopped in the doorway, staring at them with a confused look on his face.

"Reno, why did you hit Rude in the balls?"

Reno sighed and put a hand to his head, this was not helping his headache. "I didn't mean to! I just wanted to see if he was awake or not, so I tried to look under his glasses and fell."

Rude grunted, "You couldn't have just tapped my shoulder or called my name?"

Yazoo just shook his head and shoved the glasses into the Turks hands and walked out without another word.

Alarm bells went off in Reno's head. Something was wrong, and why were they home so early? Had something gone wrong on the hunt? Reno downed the red drink and gave it a few minutes to settle his stomach, Rude was sipping his slowly.

"Didn't you say they weren't supposed to be back for a few days?"

Reno nodded. He got up and went after his lover. Yazoo was on the balcony of their bedroom looking out over the desert. It was his favorite spot to go when something was bothering him. Reno came up behind him and hugged him from behind and whispered in his ear.

"What happened?"

Yazoo remained silent for a moment, Reno knew he was just putting his thoughts into words and waited. They had both learned to read each other so well, he didn't think he had ever been more comfortable with someone.

"Kadaj remembers."

"What?!" Reno moved his hold and turned Yazoo around to face him.

"I don't think he remembers everything, I don't think he knows what we used to be. But… he lead us to an underground lake. It's filled with the same waters that cured the Geostigma, but it doesn't harm us now. Im not sure why. But how Kadaj new it was there is a mystery, he's never been in that area, now or in the past. Its almost as if the lifestream itself called him."

Yazoo looked shaken and unhappy. Reno didn't know what to say. What the hell could all of this mean? And what would the Planet want with Kadaj?

"Have you talked to Kadaj about it? He doesn't hear Jenova anymore does he?" Reno didn't know what he would do if that damn bitch was still around.

Yazoo shook his head. "I haven't asked him, and he hasn't said. I'm not sure I want to know."

Reno knew the feeling.

Loz hadn't known what to say to Kadaj as they had decided to head back early. Kadaj hadn't protested in the least and that bothered Loz. After the incident in the cave no ones heart had really been into continuing with the hunt and they had headed home. Loz watched Kadaj around the house the rest of the day with a million and one thoughts going through his head.

He felt like he didn't know who his son was anymore. He knew that Kadaj was still Kadaj, no matter who had given birth to him, but there were things about him this time around that were different. Trait's the were completely unique to this lifetime and that had endeared Kadaj to him in a way not possible when they were brothers. Kadaj talked to him now, about things he thought and felt. He had never done that before, but even now apparently he had been hiding things. They would have to talk, all three of them. Right now it was awkward as hell and Elena kept giving both of them weird looks. Loz knew she wouldn't tolerate being in the dark long.

* * *

Cloud gazed over the wreckage of the old Deepground stronghold. The W.R.O. was still picking apart and deciphering files left over from the various experiments that had taken place. It had taken this many years just for them to realize that there was still more underground than they had ever imagined.

"Have they found a way in?" Vincent asked from beside him. Cloud looked over at his friend. Vincent hadn't changed much in the past years, unless you knew what to look for. He hadn't aged at all, at least not physically, anyone who looked in his eyes saw the wisdom there. But there was an ease to his stance, a less guarded look about him than there had been in the past. He was more at peace with himself than he had ever been. In many ways he had found a kindred spirit in Shelke. The two were steadfast friends and Cloud knew she deserved some of the credit for Vincents ease.

"They found a door, whether they can break through or not is the question. They had to clear away the debris and fallen parts of the building. If there's going to be a breakthrough it will be today, they've been at it for a week now."

Vincent nodded. "Shelke has described some of their security features, they are quite extensive." There was the sound of an explosion that shook the cracked concrete beneath them. Vincent raised his eyebrows and Cloud flipped open his PHS and dialed Barrett who was on site.

When Barretts side of the line picked up there was shouting in the background and the sound of someone coughing, a slice of panic went through the blonde as he feared the worst, then Barretts voice came on the line, coughing and laughing.

"We got it Spiky! No need to worry, the ruckus was just the door opening. You and the vampire better get down here though. This place is something to see!"

There was the sound of someone else talking in the background and Barrett hurriedly said goodbye and hung up.

Cloud turned to Vincent. "They're in."

* * *

"Kadaj?"

Yazoo opened the teens door slowly. It was late but the light was on so he hoped he wasn't sleeping. Yazoo hadn't been able to sleep with this weighing on his mind.

Kadaj looked up from his desk where he was bent over a book on martial arts fighting tactics. "Yeah?"

Yazoo came in and closed the door behind him. Kadaj turned in the chair to face him.

"What's going on?"

Knowing he had Kadaj's full attention Yazoo chose his words carefully. "I just wanted to know how much you remember. I mean we had always wondered but didn't want to bring it up and -"

"It hasn't been long."

Kadaj was looking at the floor, almost as if he were unsure of something. It tugged at Yazoo's heart to see it, he looked very young.

"I had always wondered why you and Loz would stop talking about some things when I walked into a room. You even slipped a few times, telling a story and then realizing it wasn't from this lifetime, but I didn't know that at the time. It started so slow, in dreams and in then in just flashes. I know about Jenova, about Mother, although I don't know why we called her that now. I remember Sephiroth and who he was and that what we were trying to do was bring him back but I don't know how, I think we failed…"

Kadaj paused, his eyebrows knit together, Yazoo remained quiet, Kadaj never opened up like this and he didn't want to spoil the moment.

"I was our leader, we were brothers, not so far apart in age but I was still the youngest. I remember you, your smile and your laugh and how you and Loz used to spar, how you and I would spar. I can almost feel how I did it, but it feels alien at the same time. But I don't know why we did what we did. We hurt people Yazoo, didn't we? Why?"

Kadaj looked up at him and there wasn't any wounded innocence there, as Yazoo had expected. Just honest confusion. Kadaj didn't feel horror or regret at their actions, he just didn't see the purpose and wanted to know, not necessarily to justify but just to know who he had been.

Yazoo wasn't sure if Kadaj's lack of horror at their actions made him feel better or not.

"You want me to tell you?" Yazoo knew asked again, he just wanted to be absolutely sure this was what Kadaj wanted. He knew Loz would be irked that they were having this conversation without him here but Yazoo knew he and Kadaj had always been able to communicate better just between the two of them.

Yazoo moved and sat down on Kadaj's bed and motioned him to come and sit with him. Yazoo wasn't good at monologues and stories but he could do this for Kadaj. But he wouldn't tell him about the…nature of their relationship. If Kadaj didn't remember on his own then telling him would be a little bit beyond Yazoo's abilities. He still thought of that Kadaj as a dead and lost lover. There wouldn't be a way to reconcile this, his nephew into that memory.

"Jenova was 'the calamity from the stars' she fell here thousands of years ago. What she did is a long story but in short, Shinra electric company used her cells to create their most fearsome Soldier, Sephiroth. Sephiroth went on a rampage when he found out how he was created. He considered Jenova his true mother and wanted to bring her back to power, but she is nothing but death and destruction. Sephiroth was blinded by emotion, ambition and a need to feel loved. He was killed by Cloud."

Yazoo paused, he knew a lot of this probably wasn't news to Kadaj. It wasn't to very many, but this was their history, their making.

"Sephiroth was just the beginning of the project using Jenova cells. We were made by Shinra as well, although we were kept hidden away, and when the war ended we became useless to the company. They were abusive and cruel as it was, you gave us the opportunity, and we left. Escaped. They hunted us, but you could hear Jenova's voice. She guided us, calling for you to bring back her first and most beloved son. We searched for years. The day we found her, the Turks, Reno and Elena and Tseng got there as well."

"Elena? We hurt her didn't we? And Tseng." Kadaj was so calm and benignly curious it was starting to bother Yazoo. One would think that a child would have more concern with the knowledge that he had cut his own mother within an inch of her life.

"Yes, we did. We almost killed them both. We did kill a lot of people."

Kadaj nodded, he looked somber and contemplative now.

"The Turks took Jenova and we followed them to Edge. When we got there the leader of Shinra had hid her, we took the children infected with the Geostigma and you bent them to Jenova's will. They became our puppets as we nearly destroyed the city. You found Jenova. Rufus, the leader of Shinra had hid her on his person the whole time. Cloud chased you down, we followed, tried to stop him but we couldn't. You took Jenova's cells into yourself and brought Sephiroth forth through you. Sephiroth and Cloud fought, Cloud won again and Sephiroth abandoned you to die. Loz and I arrived just in time to see you taken by the lifestream, Cloud holding you as you left."

Yazoo had to stop there, his voice hadn't broken but the tears were threatening to choke him. That moment had hurt more than anything he had ever known.

"Everything we did was to a futile end. We had wanted a family, we thought we were righting a great wrong that had been done. We were so wrong, and for that we lost you. We had hope you would never remember what happened, that maybe you could start over."

Now that he had said it, it seemed a little lame even to him. Had they made a mistake by not telling Kadaj?

Kadaj was watching him. The expression on his face wasn't something Yazoo would have seen in their last lifetime. There was understanding, and something like sympathy. Definitely not something Kadaj had shown many people before.

"It means something more to you. But what happened after I died?" Kadaj had moved a little closer and laid down beside where Yazoo was sitting.

"Loz and I were furious. We tried to finish off Cloud. I shot him in the back and there was an explosion and then I was walking through the streets of Midgar trying to get back to Adjit and Loz. The rest we have told you about how we met the Turks."

Yazoo felt something stirring in the back of his mind, they had woken Loz. Not a few minutes later the door opened letting the eldest in. Loz scanned the two of them and sighed. "So you told him everything?"

Yazoo lowered his eyes and nodded. Maybe he should have included Loz? Loz just shrugged his shoulders, he looked tired and drained.

"Well I guess its for the best. Cloud called, he says its important that he speaks with us." Loz looked at Kadaj when he said 'us' obviously Cloud had requested Kadaj's presence as well. Something twisted in Yazoo's gut, something definitely didn't feel right.

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Let me know if you guys think this is worth continuing or if the want for it has died. I decided to post these chapters after seeing how many people wanted a sequel after Of Shadows and Flames, but I also realize that that was awhile ago.

-Phoenix


	5. Chapter 5

_AN- I must say I wasnt expecting anyone to remember this story or Of Shadows, I was pretty suprised to find out otherwise. Heres the next chapter and Im hoping I didnt delete the next one or lose it because I KNOW its written its just a matter of finding it. *hunts through harddrive*_

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Deepground was massive. They had thought they had explored most of it in their fight against Omega but they had merely scratched the surface. There were training halls, medical facilities, a mess hall, everything you would need for a huge hidden army. And then there was the army. Cryogenically frozen but still showing signs of life hundreds of soldiers slept. Some were monsters such as Azul and Rosso yet others seemed human still. Cloud had no idea what to make of it all and neither did anyone else. Could they release these people? Wake them up and expect them to abandon Deepgrounds purpose? They had some examples of that possibility, Shelke for one, and the clones had been reformed also. But so many others?

Cloud shook his head. Reeve would be holding a large meeting of anyone he thought needed to be there to decide just that. All of AVALANCHE, the old Turks or at least as many as they could find (Cloud had the sneaking suspicion Reeve knew exactly where Tseng was and would definitely contact him) the clones and of course Shelke would be requested to attend. This entire thing was a mess. A huge mess. And there was infinitely more. Reeve had explained the files they had uncovered to him. Something about Project Genesis. The implications were huge and what was even more bothersome was that as of yet they hadn't seen anyone who matched this "Genesis" in description in the tanks.

Aerith, what would you say? Can we afford to give these people life again with the possibility of awaking another source of destruction? I don't understand what to do…

Lost in his own thoughts Cloud mounted Fenrir and revved the engine. He would go to Yazoo and his brothers himself. He could use the long drive.

The next day had seen a lot less tension in the houses. Loz had pulled Elena aside and told her what the situation was as best he could. She had not been happy.

"It's only going to hurt him! Why can't he just forget all of it? Why did you tell him!"

Loz hated seeing Elena upset, but he knew Yazoo had done the right thing.

"And leave him even more confused and feeling alone? He was remembering things on his own Elena. We couldn't just let him try and piece it together, he needed to know the truth."

Elena was shaking her head, arms crossed in front of her and staring at the floor as if she could burn holes into it.

"Why is he remembering now? Is that evil bitch calling him again? What could the Planet or Jenova possibly want from him?"

Loz didn't have an answer to that.

Reno and Kadaj had gone down into the canyon to where a stream still ran strong. They cast fishing lines out and waited for something to bite. Fishing had not been something Reno had ever pictured himself doing but when he was a child Kadaj had begged and begged and the old Turk had given in, only to find it wasn't that bad. Kicking back, the sound of the water and cool shadows of the canyon were peaceful. Something else he had found he could get used to.

Kadaj had been quiet, a thoughtful kind of quiet. He sat on a rock near Reno, hands crossed over his drawn up knees, staring over the river.

"What's been bugging you runt?"

Maybe he would talk, maybe he wouldn't. But here, in the stillness of the afternoon, it seemed built for telling secrets. Kadaj sighed.

"Yazoo told you about what happened on the hunt?"

Reno nodded. No point in denying it. And he didn't like lying to Kadaj anyway, he had a feeling the kid knew when he did.

"I can almost remember what it felt like to be called by Jenova. At first I thought it would start over again. But its different now. Uncle, do you feel bad about dropping the sector seven plate? Or about the other things you did as a Turk?"

Reno was a little floored by the question, but Kadaj was looking at him with this almost desperation in his eyes.

"Yes and No."

The redhead waited for a minute. He had to think about how to phrase this right. He had never really said this out loud to anyone but Rude.

"I guess I feel bad that it took so much of the bad for me to see the good. I wasted so much of my life doing wrong things for the wrong reasons. But at the same time I know I would have never seen it that way until I had done it. I needed to learn it the hard way. And now, sometimes, I'm afraid it will come back to haunt me. That what goes around will come around and take away what I have now. Since I took away so much from all those people, but at the same time I wouldn't have what I have now if I hadn't lived the way I have and I wouldn't give anything I have now up for anything in the world."

Kadaj nodded. "I feel the same way. I don't know why I'm here again. I have these dreams. There's a voice calling. But it's not Jenova. I don't know who it is. It's not cruel or demanding or callous like she was, it's the opposite but it's clear that it wants me for something. Could it be to pay for my sins?"

Reno considered carefully. "Kadaj, we have paid for our sins. When I was a Turk I would wake up screaming in the night. I got drunk every day to drown the guilt. I was miserable. And how can you blame yourself for the things you did? You and your brothers never knew anything but that psycho bitch. No, I don't think the Planet called you back to make you suffer."

"You think the Planet brought me back?"

Reno sat up from his lounging position and looked the kid straight in the eye. "Who else could bring you back from the lifestream? Who showed you where that water was? And the exact same water used to get rid of the geostigma? That rain was meant to rid the last of Jenova's hold on the people. Now I don't know what's going on but I'm sure you aren't here to relive shit."

Kadaj stared across the water again. "I think you may be right"

Reno smirked. "Course I'm right. I'm a freaking genius. What do you say we leave the lines and head back to the house. Nothin's gonna bite with your depressed ass sending off bad vibes."

Kadaj rolled his eyes but followed Reno up to the little makeshift path that they had worn down the side of the canyon.

Neither Loz nor Yazoo had expected Cloud to actually show up instead of call. It did nothing to ease Yazoo's mind. Cloud had wanted to wait for Kadaj and Reno to return but had told them that Reeve was having a meeting and needed all of them there. Yazoo had just gone to pack for himself and Reno, Elena had gone to get Loz and Kadaj's things ready leaving Loz sitting with Cloud.

Throwing things into the saddle bags for the bikes Yazoo debated on whether to include his rebuilt Velvet Nightmares. They meant so much to him, were a part of him. But it was a part that he normally felt fine with leaving buried under piles of clothes and books in his trunk, only using them for hunting and target practice. He didn't carry them casually anymore but he wouldn't feel right leaving them. Pulling out the new double holster he had commissioned he laid it on the bed. Opening the closet he found his old leathers. He had kept them in good condition all these years but it just reaffirmed his feeling of impending danger.

In these clothes he was not Yazoo, the "uncle", the lover, the peaceful keeper of Cosmo Canyon, he was a Sephiroth clone.

Slowly, as if it were a ritual he pulled off his clothes and slipped into the leathers. They were still like a second skin. He almost looked the same, but the small lines in the corners of his eyes, the hair that was so much longer, and the eyes. Yes the eyes had changed the most. Before where they had been full of calculating destruction now they were calm, and maybe just a little sad now. He didn't want to be back in these clothes, when he and Reno had fought Deepground it had almost seemed like a game. He knew the world could have ended, but perhaps he was still young and reckless enough to not really think it could happen. Now it seemed all too real. Cloud hadn't said anything about what they would find back in Midgar. But he could read it in the blondes eyes. Something was very wrong.

Down in the trunk even under his guns was another pair of folded leathers. New and still with that fresh leather scent. He had had it made by the same person who had made his double holster. He had remembered Kadaj's measurements from the past perfectly and these were made to fit him. It was different than his old outfit that he had worn. The coat was not as long as Yazoo's, it would hit Kadaj about mid calf, it was cut to be worn over the black leather vest, it would conceal the sword Kadaj would carry at his side but leave him able to access it easily. The leather pants were cut to allow movement in a swordfight. And then the last thing, this was no re-creation. He had gone back to the rubble to find it.

Souba.

At first he had not known why he had had the leathers made or kept the sword. But that voice had whispered just at the edge of his mind. It would be needed. Had he been wanting to push it away all this time? He cracked the door, Cloud sat in a chair. The hero was weary. He was still young looking, maybe even more so than the rest of them, but his shoulders weren't quite as straight. He seemed tired.

Kadaj and Reno came through the door. Kadaj was smiling. Yazoo didn't know if he was glad or if it hurt. Kadaj was surprised to see Cloud. He greeted him happily but his happiness dimmed when he saw Yazoo in the doorway. Yazoo saw himself through his eyes for a moment, with the long hair he looked almost like the picture of Sephiroth. Reno had stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at Yazoo with an almost hurt expression but slowly, it morphed to a kind of resigned acceptance. Loz stood and studied Yazoo for a moment then nodded. The room was filled with almost a feeling of dreaded apprehension. Kadaj came forward to stand in front of Yazoo and the elder motioned him inside the bedroom. Loz nodded and went to his room, muttering that he would be there soon.

Reno flopped into the chair Loz had abandoned. "Spike why can't you ever bring good news?"

Yazoo closed the door, Kadaj was looking at the items on the bed but he made no move to touch them. Loz came in, dressed in his old leather and with the Dual Hound strapped to his arm. Kadaj stripped and just as Yazoo had he slowly donned the outfit. It was the same but different. Kadaj looked into the mirror and simply stared. Loz picked up the Souba from the bed. A moment of pain flashed across his face. Yazoo kept a little distance. This was a moment between father and son.

Kadaj turned to face Loz. He didn't look up at him at first, as if he didn't want this either.

"Kadaj, I-"

Loz seemed at a loss for words. He would hand over this sword to Kadaj and he would no longer be Kadaj's father really. He would be handing Kadaj back a piece of his old life. One that he had hoped he could shelter him from forever. He had to hope that this time it would be different. He couldn't protect Kadaj anymore. He looked his son, his brother, his comrade in the eyes.

"Thank you." Simple, yet not.

He knew Kadaj would understand. There were too many feelings between them all to be properly described by words. Loz handed him the sword. Kadaj took it from him gently. Loz took a step back. Kadaj drew the blades. They were polished and well cared for, and it felt absolutely right in his hands.

Reno lit a cigarette.

"Is it that bad?"

Cloud was staring off somewhere behind him.

"I think so. We have just uncovered what we thing is the last stronghold of Deepground. But we need everyone there to make final decisions as to what to do. And there may be threats we have yet to realize. I-"

Cloud paused, he couldn't put it into exact words

"I think we have yet to see the end of the horrors of Shinra."

Reno exhaled smoke slowly. He had known about Deepground, not in detail. Part of his job had been to keep people from talking. And sometimes he had no idea what they were supposed to be not talking about, he hadn't needed to know. He was just supposed to silence them. But rumors in Turk were usually more than just rumors. There had been talk of what had come before Sephiroth. He had not been Hojo's first experiment by far. Or Gast's or Lucrecia's. Who knew what those mad scientists had done?

"You think Sephiroth is gone?" Reno didn't think the crazy SOLDIER would return. But you could never be too careful.

Cloud shook his head. "I don't think so. I hardly ever feel him anymore. Only when I'm-"

He looked up at Reno as if debating to say it. Reno finished for him.

"When you're around the brothers."

Cloud nodded.

"Kadaj remembers you know." Reno knew he didn't know. And maybe it wasn't his business to tell Cloud, but he felt he should know. He had gone through so much to kill Sephiroth. And one of those rumors in Turk had been that Zack and Sephiroth had not been simple fellow SOLDIERS, and Cloud was part of Zack now right? Or vice versa. Would those feelings carry over?

Cloud didn't look surprised to hear it. He just nodded. "Maybe it's just as well."

The door opened and they both looked up. The three brothers came into the living room where they sat. Reno watched his lover, he looked good in those leathers. But he felt like Yazoo was just a little withdrawn from him now. He had braided his long hair, probably for the ride on the motorcycles. His double holster was an odd design, it held both guns in opposite diagonals across his back, the butts of both firearms were visible just behind his elbows and were accessible by a cross draw. Yazoo had practiced until it hadn't been any different than his old single. Loz had steadfastly refused to carry a gun.

Elena entered the room. On seeing her son and the old sword at his hip some unexplainable emotion flashed over her face, then she steeled herself. Reno realized she must have felt very alone. Who knew what she felt as a mother to Kadaj? She had given birth to someone who had once been a bitter enemy and now he stood before her again. Reno made a mental note to talk to her once he got the chance.

Loz broke the silence. "We will need to pick up another bike. Elena can ride with me, and Reno with Yazoo but Kadaj-"

"Kadaj can ride with me" Cloud said.

Kadaj nodded.

Reno stood. He went to his room to change quickly. Unlike Yazoo he had definitely not kept his suit from Shinra. But hell, if his lover was going to be looking badass he couldn't go looking like a country boy could he? One thing he had kept, his beloved goggles. Black combat boots, black leather pants and a black long sleeved button up silk shirt with the sleeves rolled to elbows completed the look. He emerged from the room and Yazoo tossed him his EMR. He gave it a few showy twirls then rested it on his shoulder. Yazoo gave him a small smile. Just an upturn of the lip, but it was enough.

Reno took his old signature cocky stance. "Well let's hit the road! Reeves a bitch when he's kept waiting when it comes to keeping the world safe and all that shit. And I sure as hell don't want him sending that damn robotic cat out here."

They all marched down the stairs to the garage. Kadaj and Cloud breaking off to go to Fenrir. When Kadaj was on behind him and before he started the engine Cloud put on his sunglasses and looked over his shoulder at the silver haired teen.

"I'm glad you're back."

Kadaj just gave him a wry smile and Cloud started the engine and took off down the road back to Midgar.

* * *

So I have pretty much decided that I want to finish this story, its bugging me leaving it undone especially when I had such a cool idea for it...at least I think I did...I am still brushing away the mental cobwebs about this story and some others. But as most of you know reviews and emails keep me from being distracted and result in a much faster chapter turn out rate...*hint* *hint* =)


	6. Chapter 6

AN- This chapter has been somewhat rewritten from the last time it was posted on my LJ. It is also the last chapter of this story that my hard drive will cough up, so everything else from here on out is going to be completely new and hot off the keys. There are some changes, I decided to not introduce some specific things just yet and let others play themselves out more.

Reeve sat at the huge oval desk in the conference roomwhere everyone would hopefully meet. Reports and photos and copies of documents were layed out in front of him. He was searching. Genesis had been lost, gone and away as far as he could tell. The small glimpses of information they had on him were that he had disappeared. Reeve highly doubted that. Shinra didn't just lose its property. No, either he had been killed and this was the cover up, although that was unlikely because then he would be marked as terminated, or he had escaped and had been powerful enough to stay out of the hands of Shinra. That was a frightening prospect.

Cloud had sent him a message that they were on their way and would be in Edge sometime tonight. Reeve hadn't known if including the three silver haired brothers would be a good idea but now he was sure they were a necessity. In the files they did have it was apparent that Sephiroth would have had knowledge of Project Genesis. Maybe the brothers could help. He hoped they could.

* * *

The warm winds of Cosmo Canyon had given way to the forests of the northern country. It was still summer so no one was cold but as the small convoy of motorcycles raced through the trees Yazoo began to feel a bit of dread. He had never wanted to come back to Midgar or Edge. Nothing good had happened there except that he had met Reno and the others. And it was where Kadaj had died. Glancing ahead at Cloud and Kadaj the thoughts raced through is head again. Did Kadaj remember? Did he remember them as lovers? Yazoo hoped not.

They would never be so again and Yazoo wanted to keep the memories to himself, they were his own private pain that he had put away long ago. And there had always been the aspect that so many had considered their relationship utterly wrong. They had been brothers after all hadn't they? But their lives and pasts were so twisted that was it still incest? They were family in such an odd sense of the word back then. Yazoo sighed.

Loz must have sensed his dark thoughts because he pulled his bike along side his and came very close then sped up just a little ahead then let himself fall back again. Loz wanted to race. Yazoo smiled and took off, Loz hot on his tracks. Reno's arms tightened around him, usually the redhead loved to race, but sometimes with the breakneck speeds and so called physically impossible maneuvers the brothers attempted he got more than a little nervous. The path was full of twists and turns as it wound its way down into the valley Midgar sat in. The sun was setting as Yazoo and Loz squealed around corners, barely staying on the road as they overtook each other again and again. Ahead Yazoo saw a tree that had fallen along the side of the road, it was propped up by the low branches of other still standing trees and made an effective, if narrow and precarious ramp. Yazoo was sure Loz hadn't seen it. Clinging to Loz Elena was laughing and encouraging Loz to push the bike faster and faster. If Yazoo could get decent air with the impromptu ramp he may be able to overtake Loz again. Swerving off the road and driving through the brush to get to the fallen tree he felt Reno go rigid.

"Please don't tell me-"

Yazoo hopped the bike up onto the fallen part of the tree and gunned the engine. Reno screamed. It was going well until Yazoo heard the branches supporting his ramp snap. He pushed the bike faster, he had to make it now or end up buried under branches and maybe a tree or two. The bike sailed off the end of the tree. There was the heartstopping moment as his insides froze and he was unable to breath, whether from gravity or from Reno's arms holding him tighter than I a vice he wasn't sure, then the hard impact as the bike hit the ground. Loz had to swerve quickly to avoid running right into them but Yazoo knew he would and now he was in the lead.

Ahead, the ruins of Midgar and the city of Edge loomed into view, the sun set then, just behind them. It was fairly accurate of what Yazoo thought about this whole thing. Meanwhile Reno had found his voice and was yelling about how he was crazy and suicidal and he was never getting on a bike with him again.

Kadaj had been resting against Clouds back the entire way. He had never been to Midgar or Edge, yet he knew he would know the streets as if he had been there yesterday. It was unsettling. He had been listening. He wanted to hear that call, that feeling like he was being pulled to remember or to think about something or to go somewhere. Now that he knew it was the Planet, he just wanted to know what she wanted. He wanted to have it be over and done with. But somehow he knew it wasn't going to be that simple.

The lights of Edge were close now as he lifted his head to peer over Clouds shoulder, hazarding a blonde spike in the face. Things had changed, there were more buildings. Edge had expanded, it looked more prosperous. A vibration from Clouds hip drew his attention. Cloud pulled it from his pocket and without glancing at hit handed it to Kadaj. Kadaj shrugged, he took shelter from the wind behind Clouds back and leaned against him as he used one hand to cover is ear to try and mute the sound of the engine and the other to cup the phone to his other ear.

"Hello?"

The voice that came back to him was one he didn't recognize immediately. A wry chuckle came over the phone " Hello Kadaj. I see you and Cloud are getting things sorted out already."

Kadaj quirked and eyebrow, who was this and what are they talking about?

"I'm not sure what you mean? Is this Reeve?"

"No, this is Vincent. I just wanted to let Cloud know that Reeve has had quarters for everyone set up at the Shinra Building. Tifa and the kids are here as well." The call ended and Kadaj handed Cloud back the phone and relayed the information.

Loz followed Cloud through the streets of Edge, heading towards old Midgar. Things had indeed changed but he noticed that there wasn't any activity on the streets. There was barely another vehicle to be seen and no one walking on the sidewalk. He knew from Elena's conversations with Rude that not all of the citizens had been happy about the excavation of Deepground but the only other choice had been to leave it alone, and the possibilities of what that could mean were even worse.

He didn't know exactly what this meeting was about but he knew it was big. It was a huge deal and he knew that when things got big sacrifices had to be made to make it right. This was such a mess. Even before they had come along, things had been a mess. Everything was so big that he had to wonder if they were enough to fix it. He felt in over his head and was afraid of what all of this would bring.

Elena tightened her arms around him. She was almost sleeping against his back but awake enough to stay on the bike. It wouldn't have mattered if she had fallen asleep, Loz would never let her fall. But now he was glad she was holding onto him. It made him feel like maybe there was something stable in this world.

* * *

They reached Shinra HQ and Yazoo couldn't have been happier. He wondered if his ribs would ever recover from the crushing grip Reno had held on them for so long. Reno was shaking himself as Yazoo stretched while still on the bike. He hoped Reno had worn himself out from bitching about his "psychotic and suicidal driving skills". Honestly, you would think a Turk would have a better sense of adventure.

"Things sure have changed." Reno said as he looked at the ugly, squat building in front of them.

It was massive, and that was about all it had going for it. The old grand Shinra Tower was history. Yazoo assumed Reeve had found much better things to spend the money on. Like say…rebuilding the city.

Cloud and Kadaj had dismounted and were waiting for them. Cloud seemed even more ill at ease now and seemed to have passed it on to Kadaj. Yazoo wondered if brooding was contagious. He hoped not.

The next few minutes were somewhat of a blur. Rude and Tifa came out of the building to greet them, along with two people claiming to be Marlene and Denzel who Yazoo was inwardly convinced were imposters because there was just no way they could be twenty somethings already. Tseng was there as well as Reeve and other members of Avalanche who Yazoo just kind of attempted to be polite to but it was obvious he was exhausted and fading fast. Kadaj wasn't far behind which he was glad about because then he could blame it on the trip and not on getting old. Eventually Reeve led them to their rooms. Kadaj was sleeping in a small room attached to a suite for Reno and Yazoo.

Reno was a bundle of energy as always and was off talking to old friends and enemies while Yazoo and Kadaj opted to make it an early night. In the quiet of the suite Yazoo could tell that there was something bothering Kadaj but he knew better than to pry. He would come to him to talk in his own time if that was what he wanted. Although Yazoo also sensed he was nervous. About what he wasn't completely sure, but considering recent events he decided that maybe it wasn't so unreasonable. Collapsing into bed he let all the thoughts drain out of his skull, there would be plenty of time to worry tomorrow.

There was more than enough to worry about the next day. Reeve had called everyone together in a conference room and the grim look on his face put everyone in a rather somber mood.

Yazoo sat with Reno on his left and Kadaj on right. Loz sat beside his son and Elena. Yazoo looked around the table and was surprised to see Tseng seated near the end. He wore traditional Wutai clothing and seemed to be just a little apart from everyone, Vincent and Shelke were present as well as Tifa and Rude. Cloud was there with Cait Sith sitting on the table in front of him. Barret was there with Yuffie and Cid seemed to just be watching the show.

Kadaj was taking in everyone with small glances from the corner of his eyes. He didn't want to be caught staring but it must have been difficult in a room full of people he knew but had never met, people he had hurt and never met.

Reeve stood at the head of the table with two other men Yazoo had never met before on either side. They had the look of scientists, the white lab coats and charts in their hands might have helped with his assessment.

"Let me start by saying that I am glad all of you could be here today. You all have busy-"

"Just get to the point. Whats Shinra done now?" Barrett interrupted, his arms and gun crossed in front of him.

Reeve smiled wryly, "Deepground has turned out to be more massive than we could have ever thought. Shinra had an army that we only glimpsed before, with capabilities given to them by mako and genetic engineering that we have never seen before. There are troops in stasis numbering in the tens of thousands. We are still breaching the security measures on the Deepground files but we have found that something went wrong with Wiess's plans. All of these Deepground soldiers should have been awakened during the last battle. We are lucky such a thing never occurred, there are the standard troops but also more genetically mutated soldiers such as Azul and Rosso among them."

Reeve flipped through some of the papers on the desk in front of him.

"What we have gotten from the files so far is that these troops have orders to do one thing and one thing only, subdue all of Gaia for Shinra's purposes. All of the soldiers if awakened would need their daily does of mako to survive. It is the source of their unnatural resilience and abilities. We are unsure that if they were awakened they could be convinced to deviate from the orders left to them before they were put into stasis."

"You cannot" Shelke said, Vincent gave her a blank stare. Kadaj watched her with an incredulous expression. When Reeve was silent she continued.

"The soldiers of Deepground have been trained and programmed since they can remember to follow the orders you have described. Many of them do not remember their lives from before Shinra got ahold of them, some did not have lives and were raised by Shinra from infancy. You will not be able to convince them that all they know and have ever believed to be true and everyone around them has believed to be true is wrong."

Her voice was flat as she said this, there was no emotion in her voice, it was all in her eyes. She seemed sad and resigned.

One of the men beside Reeve stepped up, "She is correct. We have been able to access files of individual soldiers and many of them have no memory of anything outside of Shinra. They have been conditioned to follow their commanders and the leaders have all been programmed with instructions that cover nearly every conceivable scenario. Also, many of these soldiers have been…altered so far beyond what we know as human that we do not know if they can even be communicated with."

"How can you just write off so many?" Kadaj's voice broke the tense silence that followed after the young scientists words.

Yazoo laid his hand on Kadaj's arm hoping to rein him in before he got started but it seemed like he would have none of it. Kadaj looked at Shelke.

"You were part of Deepground once, you aren't with them now. There must be a way to recover these people. We can't just give up." Kadaj's words were not entirely well received.

Tifa's eyes held a barely restrained anger, she had never really forgiven any of them for what they had done to the children all those years ago. Seeing Kadaj again was probably incredibly hard for her.

Shelke was unmoved by Kadaj's outburst. "Kadaj, we are the exception, not the rule. How many more soldiers have been killed rather than turn from Shinra's goals? We had something outside of Shinra to guide us to a different path. You yourself died following a mistake of Shinra. It took being reborn and your families love to see you here today. These soldiers will not be so lucky."

Kadaj went very still at her words. Yazoo wondered if he had ever really grasped what his previous life had really been about. Kadaj had died a puppet of a power that had never truly cared for him.

"That is the problem we find ourselves presented with" Reeve said gently.

"We have thousands of soldiers who we cannot trust, but in stasis they will not age. They will not die and they will not wake unless we wake them. If we stop the flow of mako they will die in their sleep it will be painless, but who among us can make such a decision?"

The room was silent. Could they really decide upon the death of tens of thousands? What would that make them? Who would have what it took to actually do such a thing? The prospect alone made Yazoo feel ill. Beside him Reno was looking at the table his jaw clenched. Cloud just looked tired as he had for the past few days. Cid, Barrett and Yuffie were all looking away.

"So here are our choices. We wake these dudes up and try to convince them to play nice with us forget about all the shit pumped into their brains, while also having to forget about ditching mako like we had been trying to since they are still going to need it to survive. Or we can pull the plug and they go to sleep, nice and easy, won't feel a thing. Is that how it looks?" Reno stated.

Reeve nodded.

The redhead shrugged. "I think the answers obvious then."

"You would be the first to suggest such a thing Turk!" Barrett growled, "You've never had a problem with mass murder."

Reno's lip twisted into a sneer. He didn't say anything, just leveled those green eyes on Barrett and with an expression that said "I don't give a fuck what you think".

"I don't see you coming up with a better idea" snapped Loz.

Shouting and arguing erupted on all sides. Yuffie denounced the Turks as still being Shinra's dogs, Vincent glared at her so fiercely she fell silent. Kadaj and Tifa were arguing over the merit of Kadaj even having a say and Reeve was trying and failing to maintain order.

Yazoo sighed. Would it always be like this? These were supposed to be their allies and yet none of them could let the past go. He put a hand on Reno's shoulder in a show of support, he didnt think his lover had suggested the right thing but sometimes right wasnt always what was necessary. How could they let this army remain a threat when all of these people, themselves included had suffered so much?

Barrett began to stand to confront Loz when Cid grabbed his arm and yanked him back down and gave a whistle so loud Yazoo threw his hands over his ears. Everyone shut up immediately like a switch had been thrown.

"Hey now! Screechin' and hollerin' at each other ain't gonna solve the problem! Now I say we wait! We don't know everything there is to know about these buggers yet. We don't need to come to any snap decisions" the pilot drawled.

The scientist that had spoken earlier flipped through his clipboard. "It shows here that that Shinra actually had enough mako stored in Deepground to supply their soldiers for approximately twenty years, it was a precaution in case the reactors were destroyed."

"Ya see? Learn something new everyday" Cid commented, an amused grin on his weathered face.

Reeve smiled. "You are right. This decision doesn't have to be made now and we are searching for solutions. But I felt out of everyone you all should know about our findings and out of everyone who can help us make the decision when it comes to it, I thought it should be all of you. No matter how sorry I am to lay this on you and no matter the conflict we have faced in the past I am certain everyone here has similar goals when it comes to the current state of things and the general well being of the Planet now. But we will close for today, I am of course available for any questions. Our staff have promised that they will have the remaining information from Deepground by this evening. If you all agree we will meet here tomorrow at the same time?"

Everyone around the table nodded and began to stand. Reeve thanked everyone as they filed out of the room. Yazoo and his family waited to rise until there was a more open shot for the door. Reeve approached them, his diplomatic air in full force.

"It is good to see you all well. I was wondering if I might have a word with you Kadaj."

* * *

So... a little different but hopefully not too different. Review?


	7. Chapter 7

AN- Here is chapter 7, there are parts of it that will seem a little bit like what chapter six used to be before I had to rewrite it. Looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested let me know. =)

* * *

Loz moved to put a hand on his son's shoulder protectively then stopped and took his hand back. Kadaj stood and faced Reeve.

"What do you want to know?"

Yazoo looked up at Kadaj in alarm. His nephew seemed sad, resigned and somewhat confused. Yazoo had been prepared for angry or upset, definitely not this. He was getting nothing from Kadaj's mind but something like a dismal and grey overcast sky.

"Would you mind if we went somewhere more private?" Reeve asked, he was being careful, as if he knew that one wrong move would close Kadaj and the others off from him.

"Fine, but where I go my brothers go."

Yazoo's heart froze and he knew Loz's had to. Brothers.

"Of course."

Reeve turned to the door and Kadaj went with him. Yazoo stood and went to follow with Loz when Reno grabbed his arm.

"He may remember Yazoo, but he's not the same. We all taught him different, he's not the same. He's a good person" Reno whispered the words into his ear. Yazoo leaned against his lover for a minute, drawing on his strength.

"Wait in our room for me? I don't think we will be gone that long."

The redhead nodded and kissed him quickly. Reno was his grounding point and he had the feeling he would need it after this conversation.

They walked through the hall and outside to a small garden behind the building. Trees stretched toward the sky with bushes and small flower beds along the paths. There were benches under the trees, it was a quiet place that would make you forget you were in the middle of a large city.

Reeve sat and the brothers sat on a bench a little opposite him. Yazoo and Loz took positions sitting on either side of Kadaj without even realizing it.

"I know that you three don't remember very much about your early lives with Shinra and that you were most likely not a part of Deepground but I was hoping, or wondering…Kadaj do you remember anything from when you completed your Reunion?"

Kadaj pulled his knees up to his chin on bench. It made him look even smaller than he was. The movement made Yazoo relax a little, it wasn't something the Kadaj of old would have done. He seemed to think about for a minute before answering.

"I remember the battle with Cloud. I remember trying to fight Sephiroth from within. We never wanted the destruction of the Planet and his goals were different than what I had expected."

That was news to Yazoo and Loz. They looked over Kadaj's head to trade surprised glances. Now that he thought about it Cloud had told them that Sephiroth had said he wanted to use this planet as his vessel. He hadn't really cared what happened to this planet in the process which was different that what Jenova wanted. She had wanted the planet alive but everyone on it dead. She wanted the lifestream for her own corrupt purposes.

"Did you have any access to Sephiroth's mind? I ask because Sephiroth new about Deepground and he may have had information that could help us today."

Kadaj shook his head. "What you have to realize is that when Sephiroth returned it wasn't the man that you all knew before Nibelhiem. Sephiroth the man was lost in translation somewhere and only what he was made to be by Jenova survived, more through her than anything."

Reeve leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So any memories that Sephiroth the man had were lost when he died."

Kadaj nodded.

"But you three have a connection to Sephiroth. Do you know of a way to regain the knowledge he had?"

Yazoo looked at his brothers. They knew Sephiroth's story and had always known it. No Shinra scientist had told them. He thought back to the records that Shinra had kept of them when they were in their labs. They had made them using Sephiroth's DNA and Jenova cells. It was possible. But Sephiroth was dead.

"If there is we don't know about it" answered Kadaj.

Yazoo debated whether to say something. But what good would it do to point it out, just because you were related to someone didn't mean that you had access to their memories. But the Jenova cells were unpredictable. Either way, Kadaj was right, they had no idea how to do such a thing even if it were possible.

Reeve nodded. "Well, it was worth a try. If you think of anything I would be very interested in hearing it."

Kadaj nodded.

"I had best be getting back to the WRO teams, they should be close to cracking the last of the Deepground security. Thank you for speaking with me."

"We want to help, we just aren't sure how"

Reeve smiled at him. "I am sure you will find a way."

Yazoo watched him go. Reeve knew more than he was saying, but that wasn't unexpected. Yazoo believed he had told the truth on the important issues at hand, there certainly wasn't enough time for him to go into detail about everything they had learned about Deepground.

"Kadaj…are we..do you..you called us brothers." Loz was looking at Kadaj with something like hurt and something like hope rolled into one.

"I know. I don't really understand it myself. I feel like I'm two people, this person from before who I have remembered and the person that I am now. I don't really know who I should be." Kadaj hugged his knees closer and pulled himself into a tighter ball.

"Kadaj, you are the person you have been for the past fifteen years, the Kadaj from before was a puppet, an instrument of Jenova, nothing more. Yes you did things that weren't right, we all did. But you are different now, the Kadaj I know would never make the same decisions that the old Kadaj did." Yazoo hoped he understood. It was so hard to put into words.

Kadaj closed his eyes. "I understand. I can feel what you're saying. But I wasn't just a puppet, I had feelings, I had my own wants and desires but I set them aside for her."

"Don't say it Kadaj, I can't stand to here you say her name" Loz growled.

Kadaj shook his head. "I won't, she was a lie anyway. All of it was a lie. I'm tired."

Yazoo stood and the others followed. He wanted to get back to Reno and just put this all out of his head for a few hours. Sephiroth, Jenova, Shinra… all these things he had hoped to leave behind forever, yet he found he couldn't. He couldn't just walk away and leave it up to everyone else.

He heard Loz take Kadaj aside before letting him go on to his room. Yazoo kept walking, he knew that what Loz had to say was just between them and he didn't want to interrupt. He could feel what it was anyway. Stepping through the door to the suite he and Reno shared Yazoo leaned against the inside of the door and took a deep breath. He let all of the thoughts running through his head drain away, or tried. He also shut down the mental connection between his brothers and himself.

He opened his eyes to see Reno lounging in a chair nursing a glass of whisky. He walked over to him taking in the smell of the alcohol and the faint leftovers of cigarette smoke in the white room that could have been in any hotel.

"Everything okay?" Reno asked, looking up at Yazoo.

Yazoo sat on the arm of his chair. He was baiting his lover. Reno could never stand to be close to him and not touch.

"As much as it will ever be"

"The runt doing okay?"

Yazoo nodded. Reno wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled Yazoo into his lap.

"Good. You look beat."

Yazoo wrapped his arms around Reno and took the glass from his lovers hand and took a sip of the strong whisky.

"I am definitely ready for bed" he murmured. Reno smiled at him.

* * *

The floorboards of the old church creaked under Clouds steps. The night stars glimmered through the missing pieces of the ceiling. The pool of water that had healed the Geostigma had eventually evaporated leaving the yellow and white flowers.

Cloud sat down on the edge of the field. It had been a long time since he had come here, sometimes it felt so empty that he just couldn't take it and so stayed away. Tonight he didn't know whether he felt like her presence was there or not. It didn't really matter, he couldn't remain silent any longer.

"I'm done." He said softly to the darkness. "It's like the evil of Shinra will never end. I can't be the warrior everyone needs anymore. My heart's not in it. I don't want to abandon anyone. I don't know what to do."

Cloud looked up at the stars. After a few minutes a kind of peaceful smile came over his features, the wind stirred the flowers and blew his hair over his face. He closed his eyes.

"I see. Then everything really is alright."

* * *

Kadaj tossed in his bed and tried in vain to sleep. All the people he had seen today flowed through his mind, Tifa's wary expression, Shelke's sadness and the pity she seemed to feel when she spoke to him, Vincent's cold regard and Barret's outright distrust. It was overwhelming and yet at the same time it felt like it was someone else's sins, someone else's life. But all those people were looking at him, not anyone else.

Sephiroth. There were so many mixed feelings in his mind about him that they were impossible to sort out. He had never really heard Sephiroth's voice often, it had always been hers. Yazoo had been the one who seemed to know most of the things that Sephiroth would have known. Things like how to survive in the world after the labs, the places to search for mother and where her call would be strongest, where to find the president…

Yazoo had never claimed to have any concrete memories of Sephiroth, it was just like abstract knowledge that he had. In many ways Yazoo had been the closest the scientists had come to making a complete replica of Sephiroth but the small changes they had made had been enough that they were nothing close to being the same person. But even still, out of the three of them Yazoo had the most pure cells of Sephiroth and less of Jenova.

Kadaj sighed. He would talk to Yazoo about it in the morning, he doubted that they could tap the general's memories but if Yazoo could even lead them to where they could find the information they were looking for it would be helpful. Now having a course of action Kadaj gave one last sigh and gave himself to sleep.

* * *

Yazoo stretched in his chair and tried very hard not to yawn. Reno who was seated next to him didn't bother holding back which made it harder for Yazoo. Sleep had been scarce last night.

They had all met in the same conference room as the day before and Reeve had given them a breakdown of all of the new information they had discovered and given each of them copies. As a security precaution the copies couldn't leave this room. So everyone was stuck here reviewing information.

Loz and Elena were reviewing each page together and discussing them softly with each other. Kadaj was pouring over his as if he would be taking a test shortly and Reno was flipping through it and skimming to what he didn't already know. Barret was discussing things with Reeve, Cid was pretty much looking at the pictures and Vincent, Shelke and Cloud were all at the sight surveying things for themselves. Tifa and Rude had gone to get coffee.

Yazoo looked down at the pages in front of him. A lot of it was about how Deepground was designed and what each unit of soldiers had been designed for. It turns out that the troops they had seen under Wiess's command had been little more than basic infantry with the exception of Azul, Rosso, Nero and Shelke. These four had been programmed to awaken first with the infantry to begin organizing the takeover of Gaia. Azuk had been meant to be the General of the ground troops while Rosso was their designated assassin, Shelke was their intelligence and Nero their commander of flight troops and the link of communication between everyone and Wiess. But when they had awakened Wiess had other plans and they had been taught to follow their commander.

There was more about different soldiers and what their unique capabilities were. They were downright fearsome. In the labs Yazoo and his brothers had been the victims of many experiments and genetic manipulations, but now he saw that Shinra had wanted more Soldiers that the public could see and adore like Sephiroth. Those same requirements had not been applicable to the Deepground Soldiers and many of them were monstrous in appearance.

Yazoo flipped through the pages. Paragraph after paragraph of destroyed lives and the plans that had been laid out to destroy even more. At the end there was a small section of information that didn't have the Deepground label but was listed as information recovered through the unharmed records of Deepground's computers.

There was some meaningless info about mission that's had happened long ago then something caught his eye. There was record of a mission that Sephiroth had been given to track down the Soldier known as Genesis. The mission file was incomplete but Genesis was never listed as terminated, Shinra lingo for murdered.

Reno had been in on the case. Yazoo nudged his partner and Reno leaned over to see what he was reading.

"Oh that. It was a total fuck up. It's one of the reasons we're stuck with Strife now" he whispered.

"Who was Genesis?"

"A nutcase. He was…Yaz?"

Yazoo dropped the file. Dizziness hit him like it had been dumped over his head and he wasn't in the conference room anymore. There was a jungle around him but he couldn't place which one from what he was seeing. There was a house in the middle of a field and a chair placed out in the empty space. Beside the chair red fabric fluttered in the wind against the ground, auburn hair shot through with silver gleamed in the sun. Genesis.

In a swirl of chaotic light and sound the scene changed again.

"_Loveless, Act One"_

"_You remembered."_

"_How could I not with you beating it in to me?"_

A slight smile, the weight of the unfamiliar armor, silver hair longer than his own had ever been blew in the wind.

Yazoo began to panic. These thoughts weren't his, this vision not his own. What the hell was going on?

Genesis walked toward the Goddess, and in a flash of blinding light they were gone. The whole world was full of light so bright that he thought his mind would burn away from it.

_Their battle is not yet over. They were destined to be the end of all and each other. He needs your help to fulfill his destiny. What would you do for peace?_

Her voice. It wasn't Jenova, not by a long shot. It was so similar to the one they had heard in the rain the day Kadaj had died. Yazoo heard her words but had no idea what she was talking about. He tried to tell her, to ask her what she meant, but the light was gone as quickly as it had come and he was back in the conference room with Reno looking at him with a concerned expression.

Yazoo took a deep breath. Was he going crazy? He looked at Kadaj who was watching him. Loz and Elena were engrossed in their conversation, Loz hadn't noticed anything but from the look on his face Kadaj had.

"It's nothing. I guess I just zoned out for a bit. I'm going to get some air."

Yazoo made a quick exit and followed the hallway back out to the garden that Reeve had taken them to yesterday. He let the sun wash over him and tried to clear his mind. That had been a decidedly weird experience but letting it run around in his skull like a mouse on a wheel would accomplish nothing.

The garden was a peaceful place, it was late in the season for flowers but there were a few. Yazoo wondered at them. The only other place he had seen flowers in this city had been in the church. He sat on one of the stone benches and propped his chin up on one knee. The wind stirred his hair around him and silver strands caught the sun. They reminded him of the vision.

He heard the door open and close behind him but didn't bother to look. He knew who it was even before he smelled the cigarettes.

"You ran out of there pretty quick" Reno said and sat down beside him. Yazoo twisted his body to kind of half lay in the turks lap. Reno looked down at him with a gentle expression that Yazoo didn't see very often.

"what would you say if I told you I think I'm going insane?" Yazoo asked.

Reno took a breath and seemed to contemplate for a moment, his expression now one of utmost severity, "I would say that you are a little behind the times, love. We've been trying to tell you that for years."

Yazoo raised his eyebrow in a disapproving expression that made Reno break into a grin.

"I wouldn't know what to say. As long as you don't go off slaughtering people and chattering on about mother I don't really care if you're crazy."

Yazoo thought about it, here with Reno's warmth soothing him even through is leather coat and the familiar feel of his lovers red hair tickling his face the cold anxiety of what he had seen seemed far away.

Genesis, the man in red with the auburn and silver hair. That's who Sephiroth had been speaking to. He had been seeing things from Sephiroth's point of view but were they really Sephiroth's memories? They had just told Reeve the other day that that was impossible. Sephiroth was dead. But the voice in that light…could it have been the goddess that he had seen Genesis disappear with?

He didn't have an explanation but he was sure he was right.

"Genesis and Sephiroth knew each other, didn't they? They were friends…almost, maybe rivals of a sort. Am I right?"

Reno looked confused at Yazoo's abrupt change of topic but he answered, if with a wary look on his face that said he wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

"yeah, I guess you could say that. Rumor was that Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis were all pretty tight. Sephiroth was later ordered to hunt both of them down along with Zack Fair. They were deemed a danger to Shinra. The mission was unsuccessful."

"So Genesis survives?"

Reno sighed and looked around them with small glances before he answered. "Yes, I think so."

Yazoo nodded. They were destined to be the end of all and each other.

Sephiroth and Genesis. They were meant to be the end of each and of Shinra.

The sound of the door made both of them look up. Kadaj stood there a troubled look on his young face. He leaned against the trunk of a tree and crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the ground for a few minutes before looking up to meet their eyes.

"Adjit. That's where he lost the last of his soul. Everyone thinks that it was in Nibelheim but it wasn't. He lost it when he killed that girl."

Before Yazoo could ask him how he knew that Reeve burst through the door. "We are all headed to the Deepground sight, there have been reports of an intruder. Follow me if you want to come." Reeve disappeared back into the hall and the other three jumped up to follow.

This is all too convenient, Yazoo thought. It seems this goddess wants something from me and Kadaj but what? Who is Genesis and what would he want now? The ice in his veins told him that he may find out sooner than later.

* * *

More AN- Trying to work on description... I forget sometimes that everyone else cant see the scenes I see in my head. Con crit very welcome.


	8. Chapter 8

Yazoo ran after Reeve with Kadaj and Reno hot on his heels. There was a transport waiting outside the building but Yazoo jumped on his motorcycle instead. Reno shook his head and got in the transport along with Rude and Elena. Loz was already on his bike and Yazoo felt Kadaj climb on his behind him. Deep ground wasn't far and Yazoo knew the way from when he and Reno had been here to help out with the fight fifteen years ago.

He raced through Edge with Loz beside him. He had to get there, and quickly. Yazoo couldn't think of a reason as to why he was so anxious but he just felt like he needed to be there as fast as possible. Kadaj's hands gripped his sides tightly. Yazoo realized that not all of the nervous feeling was entirely his.

~_Something bad will happen Yazoo. I don't know exactly what it is but I know if we don't do this right then everything until now will be for nothing_~

That was not an encouraging thought. Yazoo twisted the throttle and gave as much speed as he could without risking killing them both. Loz kept pace, he had heard Kadaj's warning as well.

The entrance to Deepground was a massive cave where once the old Shinra building had stood. It was nothing more than massive pieces of rubble now. The cave descended down to the massive iron doors that had taken them so long to break. There was a fence with a security post where the road led into the area, Yazoo didn't bother slowing. Security pulled the gate open just in time for them to blaze through. Reeve must have called ahead.

WRO personnel were everywhere moving franticly. Yazoo brought the bike to a skidding stop in front of the entrance. He wasn't willing to ride the motorcycle down into the unknown darkness. He would probably run someone over.

Kadaj jumped off and Yazoo and Loz followed. The cooler air and smell of natural rock mixed with metal was odd. It felt like the walls were pressing in.

Cait Sith was waiting for them as they stepped into the dim cave. Lights ran along the floor to help guide people and ahead there was a lift installed to take people down to the heart of Deepground. WRO soldiers were everywhere and they eyed the brothers warily.

Cait ran up to them and shook Kadaj's hand while speaking rapidly.

"Vincent and Shelke are downstairs with Cloud. He took a few hits but of course he says he's fine. Maybe you can talk some sense into him I-"

Whatever the puppet had been saying was lost as the three brothers ran for the lift. On its descent Yazoo turned to Kadaj.

"What are you thinking Kadaj? Why the urgency? Whoever was here is gone. What do you think you can do?"

This didn't make sense. Why did Kadaj care so much about being here? True no one wanted anything to go wrong with Deepground but this was different. He knew something. Kadaj knew..

_They were destined to be the end of all and each other._

Genesis. That's who had been here. Cloud had been hurt, had probably tried to fight him.

"It shouldn't have been Cloud" Kadaj whispered.

The lift came to its destination. They stepped off and continued down the corridor lit by cool sterile lights. Up ahead was what looked like a command station. The flutter of dark red fabric told them Vincent was there. Kadaj ran ahead.

Cloud rested in a chair, a bandage across his ribs. Shelke sat at one of the computers going through the files, most likely checking to see what the intruder had done.

Kadaj knelt in front of Cloud. "What happened?"

Cloud sighed. "He came out of nowhere; he was fast, a streak of red. He went for the computers; I'm not sure what he wanted to do. I've never seen him before."

Loz stepped forward and cast a cure on Cloud before the blond could protest. Yazoo was watching Shelke at the screen. For some reason he couldn't name he didn't want to watch the look on Kadaj's face any longer. He didn't know why Kadaj felt like he did and for once he didn't want to know. _A flash of red. The red coat in the wind, sun glinting off a red blade…_

Yazoo felt sick. It was the nightmare all over again. If it was Genesis than it could only be he that the voice he had heard was speaking of and if that was so then she meant that Sephiroth was the only person who could stop him.

No. Sephiroth was dead. He had been killed over and over again and it wasn't really him anyway! This simply could not be happening!

Yazoo took a breath and forced his mind to stop running up against a brick wall. He turned away from Shelke and Cloud and his brothers and looked off into the darkness of the hallways that extended out to the other parts of the facility. Vincent was also apart from everyone else, watching from the shadows.

He put Vincent and everyone else out of his mind. His vision had been of Genesis as seen through Sephiroth's eyes. Sephiroth as he had been before Nibelhiem and before Jenova's influence had consumed him. Reeve had been on the right track after all. But it wasn't Sephiroth's memories they needed, they needed the man himself.

Kadaj's words in the garden came back to him. _Adjit, that's where he lost the last of his soul…_

"The process to awaken the Deepground Soldiers was initialized but never finished. We were lucky. Whoever did this has access to the Deepground security and knows the codes required to not only awaken and initialize the army but also to take command" Shelke informed them in her deceptively neutral voice. The words jolted Yazoo from his mental isolation.

If he had wakened the Deepground Soldiers…

Kadaj caught Yazoo's eye. Kadaj had been right. They had come very close to losing everything that everyone had been working so hard for. If the Soldiers had been awakened they could have slaughtered nearly all of the WRO who were so concentrated here. There would be no one left to stand in their way then.

Footsteps rang from the lift and the Turks burst into the room weapons drawn. Reno took in the situation with sharp eyes and Rude and Elena searched the room and corridors quickly. Reno spared a glance and a wicked smile to Yazoo before the three split up to search the rest of the place, moving with synchronized efficiency no matter how long it had been since their last mission. If there was a trace of the intruder they would find it. Yazoo knew that they wouldn't, Genesis was gone.

It was just as well that Reno had left. Knowing his lover Reno would have challenged the goddess herself before allowing him to do what he was planning. Fear froze Yazoo's heart for a moment. If he was wrong he was about to "accomplish a fuck up of monumental proportions" as Reno would ever so delicately put it. But if he was right…even if he was right, it would still be one of the hardest things to do because there wasn't any guarantee that he would be there to see the outcome.

He felt the air beside him move. Vincent was standing beside him. Those burgundy eyes told Yazoo that he knew exactly what was going through his head and that he would be there. Vincent walked away back to the lift back to the surface. Yazoo knew he wouldn't take the lift, he had his own ways to get back the surface.

Reeve had come in after the Turks along with the others. Everyone was discussing what had happened with Shelke and Cloud. Kadaj was at Cloud's side listening and from the look on his face planning just how he was going to solve this. No one had noticed the silent exchange between Vincent and himself, no one accept the one person who saw so much more than he ever let on. Yazoo sighed as Loz put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know what's going through your head brother. I know you and Kadaj see more deeply into things than I do and I won't pry. I know the look on your face well enough. Whatever you are going to do is dangerous, I know that and I accept it. You will come back." The finality in Loz's statement left no room for argument. Yazoo didn't bother trying to explain. They understood each other perfectly anyway, they always had.

"Distract Kadaj for me" Yazoo whispered. Loz nodded and Yazoo began walking back up the way he had come. He didn't know what Loz would do, maybe he wouldn't have to do anything but block the view of him leaving from Kadaj's sight.

"Yazoo!" The call was followed by the sounds of a struggle and Yazoo ran to the lift, slamming the controls into ascension. He looked back to see Kadaj break free of Loz's grip and the others watching in confusion. Kadaj ran towards him but it was too late. The lift was already too high for him to do anything about it.

~_DON'T DO THIS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN! WE WILL FIND ANOTHER WAY! COME BACK_!~

Kadaj's desperate voice in his mind nearly made his resolve disappear. He had never really been able to deny Kadaj anything. Maybe that had been one of their problems.

A memory of the last look he had seen on Reno's face flashed through his mind. That cocky devil-may-care smile and his confidence sent a bittersweet pang through him.

~_Take care of him Kadaj. Take care of all of them_~

Kadaj's thoughts had turned to something incoherent but Yazoo knew he heard him. As the lift came to the top of its run and he stepped out and ran back to his motorcycle he closed his mind to his brothers. It was like drawing walls between himself and the world and he felt more alone than he had in a long time. It was better than letting their pleas change his mind. Even though Loz understood he couldn't completely hide that fact that he didn't want Yazoo to do this either. Even if he wasn't completely certain exactly what it was he would be doing.

Come to think of it Yazoo wasn't certain either. Sephiroth's soul was in Adjit. What was he going to do with it if he found it? Surely a soul couldn't fight on its own, without a body. The enormity of what he would have to do finally weigh down on him. He was so lost in thought he had been making his way through the Edge and Midgar on automatic pilot so to speak. A thought hit him and he turned around in the middle of the street. He would have to cross water to get to the forbidden forest. There was a better, faster mode of travel than his bike. Besides, Kadaj may need it.

He went back to the new Shinra headquarters and left his motorcycle. The building was empty as he took the stairs to the roof. The helipad offered a clear view of most of the city around him and he carefully kept his eyes from the direction of the old Shinra tower and Deepground. He approached the helicopter, regaining his breath from the run.

Reno was going to be so pissed. There were two birds on the pad, one was marked with the WRO logo but the other still bore the Shinra insignia. Yazoo would know that chopper anywhere. He climbed into the cockpit and ran it through its start up sequence. He defiantly pushed his memories of Reno teaching him to fly this very machine so many years ago. It would be dangerous, flying without a co-pilot but he pushed that thought aside too.

When he was in the air and on his way Yazoo finally let himself relax a bit. It would be a few hours to the forgotten city.

It would be more than enough time to think.

"The building is secure. We've got nothing Reno." Elena said as the Turks met in the hallway down the way from the command station where Kadaj was screaming at Loz for some unknown reason.

Reno sighed. She was right. They hadn't found any evidence of who had been here or why other than what Shelke was finding in the computers user logs. The visual record of the command station had revealed little more than a the flash of red blade that had cut down the lens. Reno knew that weapon, it had been years since he had seen it but he remembered very clearly who's hand it belonged in.

He smiled to himself as he went join the others in the room. Yaz was always a step ahead of him. Looking around he noted that his lover was nowhere in sight. Kadaj was still throwing words like knives at Loz who merely watched him with the resigned expression he had worn when Kadaj had been a toddler throwing tantrums.

"How could you let him go? Do you have any idea what he plans to do? We could lose him forever!"

Reno had a very sinking feeling.

"Where's Yaz?" he asked. All the eyes in the room turned to him except Loz who was staring very pointedly at the floor.

Reno walked over to Kadaj and took him by the shoulders with a deceptive gentleness. He wanted to shake the answer out of because by the look on his face the answer was not going to be that he had gone to take a leak.

"Where is he?" Reno asked, his voice had the cold edge that he used to hide the near panic welling up.

"He left. He went to find the person who can defeat the one who was here. He went to bring _him_ back."

You could hear a fucking pin drop in the room as everyone stopped breathing. Reno released Kadaj and straightened. Yaz was gone. He remembered the look on his face in the garden mere hours ago. He had known.

Cool, calm logic flooded through is mind as he assessed the situation. Vincent was also absent from the room. Shelke was still here so that meant he had left without saying anything. Reno knew exactly where he was. If something went wrong, if Yaz's plan failed there had to be someone to do damage control. At the same time Reno didn't believe that Vincent would hurt Yazoo intentionally. He would put his faith in the red eyed freak this time, and if he fucked it up there wasn't a force on this planet that would stop Reno from making him pay for it.

Reno briefly considered taking a chopper and following. That wouldn't be incredibly useful, if Genesis came back and succeeded in whatever he had planned to do than Yaz's whole plan would be for nothing. Yaz had left without saying anything to him, Reno took that as a sign that his lover had full intentions of coming back safe. There was something a little wrong with that logic but Reno pushed it aside because he simply couldn't deal with anything else and remain functional.

"Go after him! How can you just let him go? You said you loved him!" Kadaj was ranting on again, he had probably been at it before Reno had made it back too.

"Hey!" Reno yelled in Kadaj's face sharply. Kadaj looked at him surprised.

"What the hell are you doing yo? You think me going after him is going to help? Especially with the person who's supposed to be protecting this place in near hysterics like a fucking kid? Time to wise up runt" the redhead said, steel in his voice.

Kadaj looked like he had been slapped. Cloud came to put a hand on his shoulder. "Your brother knows what he's doing. Your place is here, I know it's hard but you have to trust him to make the right decision."

Reno snorted. Talk about the voice of bloody experience. Pandemonium had broken out at the very thought of Sephiroth between the others but Reno ignored them. He trusted Yazoo and he could remember perfectly well how tough of a son of a bitch Genesis was. Sephiroth had been the only one to best him that Reno knew of. His only concern was how they would get rid of the silver general when it was all over.

Reason returned to Kadaj's eyes and he nodded. "We need to get ready in case Genesis comes back."

* * *

AN- For those of you dear ones who remember and liked the story House of Leaves it has been reposted with new updates on my new live journal along with this story, a few others and some random one shots. I am using the same pen name as here, phoenixxvi, so it shouldn't be too hard to find but if you have trouble message me and I will send you a link.

Also, for anyone interested my original story that I have been working on is being posted on live journal and fictionpress. It's under a different penname, moonbeamxvi. I am dying for feedback on it so if you have the time and interest please take a look and let me know what you think.

Thanks again everyone!


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